Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray muffin pan with a non-stick cooking spray
• In a large bowl combine ground beef with two eggs, bread crumbs and onion soup mix
• Lightly press about 1/3 cup of the meat mixture into each muffin cup
• Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until cooked
• Meanwhile, heat potatoes according to package. Using a pastry bag, pipe potatoes onto each muffin. Garnish with capers for ghosts’ eyes.

Directions:
• In a large bowl combine avocados, tomatoes and onion and mix together
• Carve pumpkin with an open shaped mouth
• On a plate place the pumpkin at one end with the guacamole coming out of the mouth
• Place chips around the guacamole dip

Directions:
• Frost the cupcakes using the white buttercream icing
• For each cupcake, use the tip of a toothpick to lightly etch the outline of two large eyes in the frosting
• Slowly pipe black decorator’s icing onto the etched lines and then fill in the inner circles. Use another toothpick to spread and smooth the icing.
• Pipe on two short lines for a nose. Next, pipe a long line across the bottom of the cupcake for the mouth. For the finishing touch, randomly top the mouth with a bunch of short icing barbs.

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Themes are a great way to increase your event’s appeal, and to distinguish your event from others. By hosting a themed event, it creates a fun and welcoming atmosphere for your guests and it can also open up opportunities for your guests to play along and embrace the theme (e.g. a Great Gatsby themed gala, may encourage guests to dress up in 1920s attire).

When searching for a theme, consider what’s relevant and topical during the time of your event. For example, when the remake of the film Alice in Wonderland came out in 2010, we were seeing a huge interests in the Alice in Wonderland theme and it even stayed around for a few years! This year, we can anticipate more interests in the Bollywood and safari oasis themes with the new releases Million Dollar Arm and Rio 2.

Another way to find the perfect theme for your event is to consider your guests and who you are choosing to honour. In example, if your guest of honour is of Asian decent, throw an elaborate Asian-infused event, complete with Asian-inspired decor, entertainment and menu. Or if you know your guests will be a more mature crowd, throw a retro-diner themed event, complete with a juke box filled with nostalgic music.

It’s important your theme fits your organization and the goals of your event. However, keep in mind planning a theme has both its benefits and challenges.

Photo by: blfStudios

Here are five steps to help you master your themed event and create a fun and memorable evening for you and your guests:

1. Be committedOnce you decided on a theme, you have to stay committed to it. Be sure your theme is on the top of your mind when planning the logistics of your event, from your entertainment, to your decor, and even to your stationary. In order for everything to flow and make sense, your theme has to shine through.

Photo by: blfStudios

2. Be creativeThe more fun and unique your theme is, the more likely you’ll have to think outside of the box and be creative with your decor and programming. In order to really ‘wow’ your guests, you’re going to have to do things that haven’t been done before. For example, for a south beach themed event we did last month, we wanted to create palm tree centre pieces. In order to accomplish this look, we had to be creative and create the palm trees from scratch.

3. Play up your stationaryRemember when we said everything and anything about your event has to make sense with your theme? Stationary is a great medium to promote and execute your themed event. Your invitations, posters, programs and even event signage need to compliment your theme and will help pull your theme together.

4. Get your guests involvedGuests LOVE themed events, not only because they can expect a fun and unique program, but because it means they have an opportunity to really participate and be a part of the event. Letting your guests know in advance of the theme through your invitation or posters, can ensure guests will have time to plan if they decide to dress up according to the theme.

5. Think BIG

Invest in a planning and design company that can work with you to bring your theme to life. They can help you find the perfect venue, lighting experts, entertainers and caterers that can work together to master your theme. And don’t forget about the little details that can help you sell your theme, such as your signature drinks or party favours.

To find out more about themed events or to discuss an upcoming event you are planning, connect with Events by Emma by calling 204-779-8812.

Planning your wedding is one of the most special and memorable times of your life.

What is there not to love about trying on extravagant dresses, attending delicious cake tastings, and picking out your favorite flowers for your centre pieces?

There’s so much to take in and enjoy during the planning process, but believe it or not, some of these tasks aren’t so pleasant. For example, how do you deal with friends that are offended they’re not invited? Or, how do couples with different cultural backgrounds incorporate both their culture and traditions?

Here are some quick and easy Do’s and Don’ts for wedding etiquette.

Photo by: Moore Photography

1. We want to meet with our parents to discuss our wedding budget. How much should we expect our parents to contribute? Is there certain things each side should pay for?

Wedding budgets are always a difficult area to cover, and is really dependent on a number of factors, such as your projected budget, whether your guests lists is equally divided between both families, and of course, what can your parents comfortably afford?

If money isn’t a issue for your parents, many couples find splitting their wedding budget into thirds works best. This would mean the couple would share their expenses with both families evenly. Keep in mind, the more your parents are invested in your wedding, the more say they can potentially have when it comes to the menu, decor and guests lists.

If your parents are looking to contribute in a smaller means, you can always ask if they can take care of important wedding details such as your photographer, or your cake.

2. My fiancé and I decided we want to go with a more intimate wedding with a smaller guest list. How do I explain to my family and friends who didn’t make the shortlist?

At the end of the day, it’s your wedding. If a smaller and more intimate event is what you and your fiancé envisioned, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Yes, this decision may upset and even hurt some of your family and friends, but sooner than later they’ll understand and even forgive you. When explaining to family and friends who didn’t make the guest list, it’s important to stay united as a couple and to not blame it on one another. Express it was a decision you made together and unfortunately due to the circumstances (e.g. venue capacity or wedding budget), you couldn’t have everyone there.

Photo by: Moore Photography

To lighten the blow, you can always host a casual post-wedding get-together at your home or at the park to give all your family and friends an opportunity to celebrate your marriage and to shower you with blessings and gifts.

3. What is the difference between a Banquet Coordinator and a Wedding Planner?

Your wedding planner and the banquet coordinator (or catering coordinator) work closely together to ensure your big day runs smoothly and successfully. Both roles are integral to the planning process, but it’s important to be able to distinguish between them.

Your Banquet Coordinator is employed by the venue and looks over the food and the beverage sales for the venue. She/he is your prime contact from your venue and will work with you to draft and finalize your venue and food service contract. He/she will communicate your needs to the day-of banquet captain, who will then ensure your dinner service runs smoothly and on time.

Your Wedding Planner is employed by you as your personal consultant and oversees all aspects of the planning process. She/he will create a comprehensive timeline and itinerary for your event, and will work with you and your fiancé to coordinate all details and logistics, from the arrival of your out-of-town guests, to the style of your centre pieces.

4. I don’t want children at my reception — how do I let my guests know this?

If you’re going for an adult-only reception, you can state it is a “Adult Only Reception” on your invitations. You can also use your bridal party and your closest family and friends to share your wishes with your guests through word of mouth. If your day comes, and some guests do not comply, don’t ask them to leave but instead find an extra seat to make it work.

Photo by: Moore Photography

5. Are we required to specify if we want cash or gifts on our invitation?

It’s never good etiquette to ask your guests for cash or gifts on your wedding invitation. Your asking your family and friends to be a part of your big day because they’re special to you, and the last thing you want to imply is that it comes with a fee.

However, don’t fret, it is unlikely for your guests to come to your wedding empty-handed, which is why we often have presentation boxes at guest book tables. Just in case your guests may have questions regarding on what to get you, ensure you communicate with your bridal party on your gift preferences.

6. My fiancé and I have different cultural backgrounds. How do we incorporate both of our cultures into our wedding?

Being located in such a rich and diverse city, we see this a lot. And each time it happens, we’re thrilled! Ethnic and cultural weddings are full of unique customs and special traditions, and should definitely be embraced!

If you and your fiancé are different ethnicities, start off by having a talk about what is important to the both of you and what your “must-haves” are. If budget allows, you can always host two different wedding ceremonies on different dates to acknowledge both your cultures. If your budget and time is tight, you can also compromise and have one traditional wedding ceremony and from there dedicate your reception to the other’s culture and background.

For example, if you’re Sikh and your partner is Catholic, you can have a traditional Catholic ceremony, but then change it up for your reception and wear traditional Indian attire and serve an Indian-style buffet.

Photo by: Luckygirl Photography

7. Any tips on planning a smooth and quick reception program? Our worst worry is to bore our crowd during our wedding.

This is where your event planner or day-of coordinator can help tremendously. Your on-site wedding coordinators will be your key enforcers to ensure your reception program runs smoothly and quickly. He/she will work your master of ceremonies to ensure the speeches, dinner service, videos and entertainment are all on schedule.

8. Are we expected to save a seat and feed our wedding vendors during our dinner?

Yes, it is proper wedding etiquette to reserve a table or seats for your wedding vendors, such as your wedding planners, a/v techs, DJ, photographers and videographers. On the day of your wedding, your main wedding vendors are working extremely long hours, often without having any breaks, to ensure all the details of your weddings are complete.

9. Is it absolutely necessary to provide a late-night snack during our reception for our guests?

If your wedding reception will be running late into the night and alcohol is being served, it is actually by law you have to serve a sufficient late-night snack for your guests. Couples also serve late-night snack later in their wedding reception as a boost of energy to keep the party going. Be creative with your late-night snack and use it to showcase you and your fiancé’s tastes and personalities.

Photo by: blfStudios Photography

10. What kind of wedding favours should I get for my guests?

At Events by Emma we have a simple rule: wedding favours should either be edible or practical. If they’re not edible or practical, they probably belong in the trash. Although it’s not easy finding the perfect give-away, your wedding favour is an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to your guests in a special way with a meaningful gift. Just like your late-night snack, be creative and use your favours as a reflection of you and your fiancé.

To find out more about wedding etiquette or to discuss an upcoming event you are planning, connect with Events by Emma by calling 204-779-8812.

You’re planning your big day and you’re determined to “wow” your guests with a one-of-a-kind wedding that is unique to both you and your fiancé. Well, if that’s the case, any good planner would tell you: “it’s all in the details.”

Carefully thought out details is the key to turning a cookie-cutter wedding into a couture and memorable personal affair. At Events by Emma, we know first-hand the dramatic impact of precisely planned and executed details, which is why we don’t take any details lightly. From the colour of your wall lighting to the font in your program, it should all work together and compliment one another.

Here are seven significant wedding details that should never go unnoticed.1. Guestbook Table
The first thing your guests will see at your reception is your guestbook table. Be sure to take time and give thought to your guestbook table and what it will include. Be sure not to forget to order extra banquet linens to dress your guestbook table and try to incorporate elements from your centrepiece and floral. Other elements that you may want to add is an enlarged photo of you and your fiancé from your engagement shoot, a unique outlet your guests can sign their names and pass on marriage life advise, and a designated area to drop off presentations. Don’t forget some close friends and family to welcome your guests and monitor the guestbook and presentations, and you’re set!

Photo credit: blfStudios

2. Table NumbersWhen your guests enter your reception, their eyes will automatically gravitate to finding their table number (after they’re finished admiring your fabulous décor, of course!). With that in mind, it’s important to dress up your table numbers to compliment your table design. There are so many unique and beautiful ways to incorporate your colour and theme into your table design.

3. Printed ProgramsYour ceremony and reception programs should be more than a piece of paper. Your programs should compliment your decor, while filling your guests in with what they can expect that day. Take a peek online and get inspired by beautiful and unique wedding day programs that play off unique designs and typography. For your ceremony program why not include a brief summary of your love story or how he/she proposed. If you’re having a religious ceremony, also include explanations of religious traditions they’ll witness that day. For your reception program, go surpass the menu and speaker order, and use the space to say thank you to your wedding party, family and guests.

4. Cake TableJust like your dress, you paid good money to get the cake of your dreams. Chances are you and your fiancé took time to do your research on how you wanted it to look and even sat in on several tastings to find the perfect cake flavour. Once you’ve found your cake, be sure to dedicate a special space on or by your stage to show it off. Your planner and cake artist should work together to ensure the cake becomes a focal point of the room design. Be creative and try the “hanging cake” or design a separate backdrop for your cake table to create a dramatic appeal.

Photo credit: Moore Photography

5. Party FavoursYour wedding favour is your last chance to “wow” your guests. Follow our important EBE rule: “a party favour should either be edible or practical,” and you’ll be good to go. Some examples for an edible favour is the always appreciated late-night dessert or try customizing your own tea blend and give them away in your own customized packaging. As for practical, give out flip-flips on the dance floor to encourage your guests to keep dancing, despite their aching feet. Another wedding favour trend we love seeing is when the newlyweds donate to a charity close to their hearts on behalf of their guests, in substitute to favours. Your guests will feel touched and appreciate the donation made with their name.

Photo credit: blfStudios

6. Pretty Hanger
You’ve invested a mini fortune on your dress, and rightfully so. Your dress is what your groom and even your guests are waiting to see. When the day comes along and your wedding photographer is hanging around you and your girls during hair and make-up, he/she will be working hard to capture all the special moments pre-wedding. A must-shoot for every photographer is a detailed photo of your hanging wedding dress. So do your photographer (and yourself) a favour and have the dress hanging on a pretty hanger that will only compliment the photo, rather than ruining the shot.

Photo credit: Jeremy Hiebert Photography

7. Wedding Party Gifts
Let’s be honest, we know you couldn’t have done it without the support of your wedding party and your family. So give special thought of what special gift you’d like to present them during your big day. Do them (and yourself) a favour and don’t opt for the overdone engraved flask. For bridesmaids, you can try a designer clutch or wallet, personalized charm bracelet or necklace, or a gift certificate to the spa. For the groomsmen, try a money clip or leather travel kit, a bottle of the finest scotch, or group tickets to the city’s next biggest concert.

To find out more about how to plan the perfect wedding details, or to discuss an upcoming event you are planning, connect with Events by Emma at info@eventsbyemma.com, or call 204-779-8812.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Manitoba, Sohan Jammu combined his interests for event lighting with his entrepreneurship drive and established Elite Lighting. Since 2010, Elite Lighting has provided unique and innovative lighting options for their clients, while also looking after various a/v components such as projectors, screens, sound setups and live video feeds. During 2013 Elite Lighting provided lighting for 120 weddings, corporate events and non-profit events.

Photo by: Joel Ross Photography

Every year Elite Lighting is seeing a growth in clients and the types of events they do, and just recently expanded their services to Calgary, AB. “Calgary is a larger city, and we felt that lighting has not yet taken off in the wedding industry, shares Jammu.“We thought this would be a perfect time to enter the industry and showcase what lighting had to offer.”

Despite all the corporate conferences and non-profit fundraisers Elite Lighting partners with, Jammu shares his favourite event will always be weddings. “There is more of a creative and artistic element that goes into the planning and design of each wedding. This in turn lets us come up with creative ways of transforming ordinary venues into something spectacular,” Jammu says.

Photo credit: Jeremy Hiebert Photography

WHY IS LIGHTING IMPORTANT?Regardless of the size of your budget, lighting should be one of the most important décor investments you make during the planning process. Strategic LED up-lightingand spotlights can single-handedly change the atmosphere for your guests, and will also enhance your event stage and centrepieces. For example, spotlighting can create focal points for a wedding’s head table, cake table and dance floor. In addition LED up-lighting is a great opportunity to incorporate your event’s colours, tying everything in with your décor theme and template. Throw in your customized monograms and textured lighting and you’ll transform your room, and create a lasting ‘wow’ factor.

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February is flying by, and we’re beginning to see more of our brides and grooms as our wedding client meetings become more and more frequent. With wedding season approaching, we’re starting our mock-up season, where we work with our couples to finalize the little details of their wedding.

Before putting together any mock-up, our first consideration and thought goes into: COLOUR.

Here are two colour inspirations for your big day: Day 5 “Paloma” and Day 6 “Radiant Orchid.”

We’re almost half way through our LOVE COLOUR series, in honour of Valentine’s Day, and Day 4 highlights “Celosia Orange.”

Three Ways to Add Colour to Your Event:1. Candles
Don’t ever feel restricted to the typical white or ivory votive and pillar candle. Feel free to do something others often don’t do, and play around with the colour (and quite possibly – scents!) of your candles.

2. Vases
In our table design, we pulled the table colour and design together with a tall clear vase of you guessed it — oranges! You can establish the same easy lush look by filling your vases with any fillers that use your colours.. be creative!

3. Linen AccentIf you’re afraid of a dominant and bright solid coloured linen, you can always substitute it for a linen with a soft (or dramatic) pattern that pulls accents of your colours.

At Events by Emma, we’re so proud to specialize in cultural event design and production. Here in Winnipeg, we’re so lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing and interesting cultures, each with their own unique values and traditions.

Three Ways to Add Colour to Your Event:1. Decorative Pillows
Try mixing up your seating arrangement with unique accent chairs, such as love seats accented with a beautiful decorative pillow.

2. Wine Glasses
Bringing out your colours with customized wine glasses is a great opportunity to add the extra “wow” factor to your table settings.

3. Dessert
Everything placed on our EBE tables is strategic and meant to emphasize the beauty of our tables… and yes, that means even the desserts! Work with your venue’s chef to ensure his masterpieces accent yours.

Our designers, and our clients, can attest that picking a colour scheme for an event takes time. It surely isn’t a quick 1 2 3decision, but instead requires some thought and careful consideration of the “big idea” of the event.

Your colour choices can distinguish the overall mood and feel of the event, and in turn can affect the way your brand is perceived to your guests.

Are we going for a cheerful, happy and light look? If so try using a bright yellow shade, like our Day 1: Freesia table design for our LOVE COLOUR series.

Or are we trying to accomplish a daring, high-energy and edgy mood? If that’s the case, you would most likely go for shades of red.

For Day 2 of our LOVE COLOUR series, this new 2014 colour trend Sand creates a lovely sophisticated but luxurious look.

Three Ways to Add Colour to Your Event

1. CHAIR SWAG
Why not make a chiavari chair even MORE fabulous with decorative fabric embellishments? You can also use coloured fabric or satin blooms to dress them up and add that extra ‘WOW’ factor.

2. TABLE SETTING DECOR
A way to really bring out your colour theme is by incorporating small decorative accents on your table settings. They may seem subtle, but they can do a lot! We love adding a fresh bloom by our napkins or menus to tie our table design together.

3. TABLE NUMBERSWhen your guests are walking into the room, the first thing they’re looking for is their table number — so, be sure to make them easy on the eyes! Simply designs and clear typography always does the trick.

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About Us

Events by Emma’s fresh approach and innovative thinking have made it one of the most sought-after planning and design companies in Canada. Named one of Canada's Top 5 Planners, with over fifteen years of experience our creative and dedicated team of planners are proven industry leaders that specialize in couture planning, production and design for every occasion.